Pre Roll

Midroll 1

We catch up with Steven Melendez at the New York Theatre of Ballet, where he started his career at the early age of seven years old. His journey with the NYTB has come full circle after being appointed the Artistic Director in 2022, where he now mentors and guides the careers of young dancers. As a young Puerto Rican boy from the Bronx, it wasn’t likely for him to pursue and gain success in the world of ballet; thankfully for the LIFT outreach program, Melendez was able to find his art and career.  He joins us today to celebrate the release of the Lift documentary, filmed over 10 years detailing Melendez’s return to the Bronx shelter of his past, and focuses on the mentorship of three young dancers as Melendez runs the outreach program that he once attended as a child. 

Connect:@CariChampion@TheStevenMelendez

Learn More:Lift DocumentaryStevenMelendez.com

We catch up with Steven Melendez at the New York Theatre of Ballet, where he started his career at the early age of seven years old. His journey with the NYTB has come full circle after being appointed the Artistic Director in 2022, where he now mentors and guides the careers of young dancers. As a young Puerto Rican boy from the Bronx, it wasn’t likely for him to pursue and gain success in the world of ballet; thankfully for the LIFT outreach program, Melendez was able to find his art and career.  He joins us today to celebrate the release of the Lift documentary, filmed over 10 years detailing Melendez’s return to the Bronx shelter of his past, and focuses on the mentorship of three young dancers as Melendez runs the outreach program that he once attended as a child. 
Connect: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/carichampion/">@CariChampion</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thestevenmelendez/">@TheStevenMelendez</a>
Learn More: <a href="https://www.liftdocumentary.com/about">Lift Documentary</a>  <a href="https://stevenmelendez.com/">StevenMelendez.com</a>

NAKED SPORTS lives at the intersection of sports, politics, and culture. It is a niche groundbreaking interview-based show that dives deep into the lives of the game-changers who have helped shape our world. We explore how sports are interwoven not only into their personal lives; but the role they play in the global experience.  NAKED SPORTS is hosted by Cari Champion, a trailblazing broadcast journalist and television personality renowned for her pioneering contributions to sports media for women.

In each episode, this distinguished host sits down with, a diverse array of athletes, politicians, and cultural innovators who have left an indelible mark on their fields. Through intimate, unfiltered conversations, the show reveals the raw and vulnerable sides of their journeys—peeling back the layers to explore the defining moments, personal struggles, and transformative experiences that live at the intersection of sports, culture, and politics.

These conversations are thematically linked to live at the intersection and on this new season of NAKED SPORTS, we begin with a six-part docu-series, The Making of a Rivalry: Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese, in which Cari questions how this “rivalry” started. Does the necessity for success depend on a foil? In a time of divisiveness, are sports—more specifically the WNBA—a reflection of our country? Or will the greatness of two supernovas unite this country and heal race relations?

NAKED SPORTS guests will span varied backgrounds, providing diverse perspectives as we examine how sports play a crucial role in nearly every aspect of life.

Connect: @CARICHAMPION 

NAKED SPORTS lives at the intersection of sports, politics, and culture. It is a niche groundbreaking interview-based show that dives deep into the lives of the game-changers who have helped shape our world. We explore how sports are interwoven not only into their personal lives; but the role they play in the global experience.&nbsp; NAKED SPORTS is hosted by Cari Champion, a trailblazing broadcast journalist and television personality renowned for her pioneering contributions to sports media for women.
In each episode, this distinguished host sits down with, a diverse array of athletes, politicians, and cultural innovators who have left an indelible mark on their fields. Through intimate, unfiltered conversations, the show reveals the raw and vulnerable sides of their journeys&mdash;peeling back the layers to explore the defining moments, personal struggles, and transformative experiences that live at the intersection of sports, culture, and politics.
These conversations are thematically linked to live at the intersection and on this new season of NAKED SPORTS, we begin with a six-part docu-series, The Making of a Rivalry: Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese, in which Cari questions how this &ldquo;rivalry&rdquo; started. Does the necessity for success depend on a foil? In a time of divisiveness, are sports&mdash;more specifically the WNBA&mdash;a reflection of our country? Or will the greatness of two supernovas unite this country and heal race relations?
NAKED SPORTS guests will span varied backgrounds, providing diverse perspectives as we examine how sports play a crucial role in nearly every aspect of life.
Connect: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/carichampion/?hl=en">@CARICHAMPION&nbsp;</a>

Naked Sports with Cari Champion

NAKED SPORTS lives at the intersection of sports, politics, and culture. It is a niche groundbreaking interview-based show that dives deep into the lives of the game-changers who have helped shape our world. We explore how sports are interwoven not only into their personal lives; but the role they play in the global experience.  NAKED SPORTS is hosted by Cari Champion, a trailblazing broadcast journalist and television personality renowned for her pioneering contributions to sports media for women.
In each episode, this distinguished host sits down with, a diverse array of athletes, politicians, and cultural innovators who have left an indelible mark on their fields. Through intimate, unfiltered conversations, the show reveals the raw and vulnerable sides of their journeys—peeling back the layers to explore the defining moments, personal struggles, and transformative experiences that live at the intersection of sports, culture, and politics.
These conversations are thematically linked to live at the intersection and on this new season of NAKED SPORTS, we begin with a six-part docu-series, The Making of a Rivalry: Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese, in which Cari questions how this “rivalry” started. Does the necessity for success depend on a foil? In a time of divisiveness, are sports—more specifically the WNBA—a reflection of our country? Or will the greatness of two supernovas unite this country and heal race relations?
NAKED SPORTS guests will span varied backgrounds, providing diverse perspectives as we examine how sports play a crucial role in nearly every aspect of life.
Connect: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/carichampion/?hl=en">@CARICHAMPION </a>

STEVEN MELENDEZ – Lift. Dance. Inspire.

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e4a6ca83-d0b1-48c9-aeb2-b088002ead00/transcript

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